Aleksander Emelianenko Comes Out of Retirement, Signs Contract With ProFC

Just three months after deciding to hang up his gloves for good,
former Pride veteran Aleksander
Emelianenko has done an about-face and announced that he wants
to resume his 10-year professional fighting career for Russian
organization ProFC.

“I have spent the last few months in an Orthodox monastery on Mount
Athos in Greece and had many conversations with the elders and
priests there,” the 31-year-old stated in a release on the
promotion’s website. “I communicated a lot with Elijah, the
confessor of our Metropolitan, and he gave me the advice and the
blessings to return to the sport. I have since signed a long-term
contract [with ProFC] and soon, tentatively in the summer, you will
see my debut inside their cage.”

With his retirement just lasting a quarter of a year, Emelianenko
beats out English knockout artist Paul Daley for
the quickest return to action after walking away. In 2008, the
controversial Brit had a four-month stint during which he
considered himself retired. Emelianenko last competed at M-1
Challenge 35 on Nov. 15, falling to Jeff Monson via second-round
submission.

Now that the younger of the two Emelianenko brothers will return to
action, questions arise about a possible comeback of one of the
sport’s most successful and beloved icons in his brother, Fedor
Emelianenko. In a recent television interview with Russian
channel RT Sports News, the 36-year-old “Last Emperor” continued to
remain true to his stance when he claimed that, “Only if God tells
me to come back, [I will come out of retirement].”

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